The Buddha goes to see the
ascetic Uruvela Kassapa; ignoring the ascetics' warnings of a fierce naga, he
stays at the fire house

After the rains retreat, on the
15th waxing day of the twelfth lunar month, the Buddha convened a
meeting of his 60 disciples (savaka) at the Deer Park in Isipatana. All of those
disciples were Arahats. The Buddha's intention in calling the meeting was to
send these disciples out to spread the teaching to other places.

At the meeting, the Buddha
addressed the monks (bhikkhus) as follows:

"Monks! Released am I from all
bonds. Released are you from all bonds. Go ye forth to declare the teaching in
other lands for the benefit and happiness of the many. Go each of you alone.
Give the teaching that is beautiful in the beginning, in the middle and in the
highest levels, which is pure, and which I have declared to you. Monks! There
are in this world people with only few defilements and with sufficient
intelligence to understand the Dhamma. But because they have had no chance to
hear the Dhamma they do not obtain the benefit that they rightly should obtain.
Go forth. I myself will go to declare the teaching at Uruvela Senanigama."

Thus on the morning of the first
waning moon of the twelfth lunar month, the 60 disciples split up, each going
alone to spread the teaching according to the Buddha's instructions. The Buddha
himself journeyed to Uruvela Senanigama, which was where he had gained his own
enlightenment. Reaching there, the Buddha proceeded to the ashram of a group of
famous ascetics there by name of "the three brother ascetics."

The oldest brother's name was
Uruvela Kassapa. He had 500 disciples and had an ashram for performing religious
practice, worshipping fire on the banks of the northern Neranjara River. The
middle brother's name was Nadi Kassapa. He had a following of 300, while the
youngest brother's name was Gaya Kassapa, with a following of 200. They had
established separate ashrams on sand banks just south of the oldest brother.

The Buddha went first to the
ashram of the oldest brother. Approaching the leader, he asked for a place to
stay. The ascetic leader told the Buddha that the only place left was the fire
house, but that a ferocious and dangerous Naga was living there.